The 121-acre Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is an oasis of green space located right in the middle of urban Dallas. The property was given to the Boy Scouts by Mr. Wirt Davis in the late 1970s and became...
The 121-acre Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is an oasis of green space located right in the middle of urban Dallas.
The property was given to the Boy Scouts by Mr. Wirt Davis in the late 1970s and became Camp Brooklawn. Later, the Boy Scouts moved to Camp Wisdom. For three years the land was unused, which suited the neighbors just fine. David Marquis, active with the local home owners association, was alerted in 1999 that the property was being sold for home sites. David and Michael Jung (the homeowners' attorney and later a member of TLC's board) worked with developers to secure protection of the natural area forever.
Since then, an eye is kept on the state of the preserve. In 2003, a group of volunteers participated in a "great privet pull." College students, who were making a study of Chinese privet (an exotic, invasive tree/shrub), and other interested volunteers braved a cold January day to remove large amounts of Chinese privet. In more recent years, multiple trash clean-ups have occurred at the property.
One of Texas Land Conservancy's key partnerships is with the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association (DORBA). DORBA trail steward Paul "Shadow" Johns approached TLC in 2006 about creating multi-use hike and bike trails on the preserve. One of TLC's major concerns was the potential impact the trails may have on the soils, plants, and wild animals at the preserve. After showing proper care and environmental sensitivity in trail design, DORBA was given the go-ahead to begin trail development in the northwestern portion of the preserve. The southern portion of the preserve, including the riparian area along Five Mile Creek, will remain undeveloped by trails. In addition to building hike and bike trails and keeping an eye on the preserve, DORBA volunteers have made improvements to the parking area and hauled off a dumpster container full of trash that had been dumped on the preserve many years ago.
Today, over eight miles of multi-use hike and bike trails course through the Oak Cliff Nature Preserve (details). Bird and plant enthusiasts, bicycle riders of all ages, and those just wishing for piece and quiet visit the preserve to connect with nature.
Two Eagle Scout projects are in the works at the preserve. One project, the development and installation of signage describing significant geologic and aquatic features as well as plant names, is in the works for early 2008. The other project consists of constructing benches to be placed in scenic areas such as wildflower meadows and deciduous woodlands.
COMMENTS